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It’s your source for curated news affecting democracy in the cyber arena with a focus on protecting democracy. That necessitates an opinionated Butlerian jihad against big tech as well as evangelizing for open-source and the Fediverse. Since big media’s journalism wing is flailing and failing in its core duty to democracy, this is also a collection of alternative reporting on the eternal battle between autocracy and democracy. We also cover the cybersecurity world. You can’t be free without safety and privacy.<\/p>\n
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DD comes out on Thursday and is updated through the end of day on Friday. Then we start over. So take your time in perusing it and check back in over the weekend.<\/p>\n
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FYI, my opinions will be in bold. And will often involve cursing. Because humans. Especially tech bros. And fascists.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Andy Piper of Mastodon fame writes:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We \u2013 all of us \u2013 can build a better internet, one that centers on users and communities, not corporations with hidden motives.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We start and end with good news to make the middle bearable.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Christian Science Monitor reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n They took up arms to fight Russia. They\u2019ve taken up pens to express themselves.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Kyiv Independent reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Assassinations of pro-war figures seek to demoralize Russia, punish war criminals<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n EuroNews reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Poland introduces mandatory firearms training for schoolchildren amid Russia threat<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n BleepingComputer reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n US charges Russian-Israeli as suspected LockBit ransomware coder<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Guardian reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n US judge finds Pegasus spyware maker liable over WhatsApp hack<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Electronic Frontier Foundation has:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n EU Tech Regulation\u2014Good Intentions, Unclear Consequences: 2024 in Review<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n To Address Online Harms, We Must Consider Privacy First<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n TechCrunch reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why Apple sends spyware victims to this nonprofit security lab<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Register reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Biden\u2019s antitrust crackdown on tech M&As may linger into Trump\u2019s reign<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n TechPolicy shares its:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tech Policy Press: The Year in Books<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I just bought three of them for myself as a holiday present.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mediapart announces:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Against misinformation, Mediapart leaves X<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ars Technica reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n FTC launches probe of Microsoft over bundling<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n News Channel 5 reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Phil Williams: In reporting on hate and extremism, ‘while the attacks are personal, so is the cause’<\/a><\/p>\n Local Journo heroes are rare and should be celebrated.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reality’s Last Stand has:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hashtags and Hit Lists: Social Media\u2019s Role in Justifying Violence<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n TechDirt has:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Death Of A Forum: How The UK\u2019s Online Safety Act Is Killing Communities<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n EFF & 140 Other Organizations Call for an End to AI Use in Immigration Decisions<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bloomberg reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n MAGA\u2019s Orban-esque Plan to Control What Universities Teach<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n TechCrunch reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Palantir and Anduril reportedly building a tech consortium to bid on defense contracts<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Walled Culture reports on:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why Italy\u2019s Piracy Shield risks moving from tiresome digital farce to serious national tragedy<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Silicon Angle reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Russia\u2019s finance minister reveals bitcoin is being used to conduct foreign trade<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Insider reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Russian disinfo network \u201cMatryoshka\u201d is migrating to Bluesky as exodus from X continues<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n BleepingComputer reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n FBI links North Korean hackers to $308 million crypto heist<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n New ‘OtterCookie’ malware used to backdoor devs in fake job offers<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n White House links ninth telecom breach to Chinese hackers<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Electronic Frontier Foundation shares:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n EFF in the Press: 2024 in Review<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Prospect reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Democrats Lost the Propaganda War<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n AP reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ex-OpenAI engineer who raised legal concerns about the technology he helped build has died<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Suicide huh.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The MIT Technology Review report on:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The cult of tech<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n TechPolicy reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Old Meets New in Online Influence<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 404 Media reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nothing Is Sacred: AI Generated Slop Has Come for Christmas Music<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Where’s Your Ed At says:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Never Forgive Them<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Newsweek reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Magdeburg Attack Suspect Said Elon Musk, Alex Jones ‘Telling Truth’: Report<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n BleepingComputer reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Apache fixes remote code execution bypass in Tomcat web server<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Register reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n ‘That’s not a bug, it’s a feature’ takes on a darker tone when malware’s involved<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Fediverse Report has:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last Week in Fediverse \u2013 ep 97<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Verge reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Flipboard\u2019s Surf app is a big new idea about the future of social<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Awesome news. This will be fantastic for curation.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We Distribute has more:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Surf is a \u201cSocial Browser\u201d App From Flipboard<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stefan Bohacek asks:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n How much does the fediverse cost?<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sage Journals publishes:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Closing the Door to Remain Open: The Politics of Openness and the Practices of Strategic Closure in the Fediverse<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n MuffinLabs share a:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n botsin.space postmortem<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Timothy Chambers has:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Predictions for the Open Social Web 2025<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mastodon shares its:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Annual Report 2023 and last update of 2024<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Fediverse Report has:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last Week in the ATmosphere \u2013 2412.c<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tedium reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n An extortion scheme involving famous writers and entrepreneurs lit up Bluesky<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n TechCrunch reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bluesky adds mentions tab in the notifications screen and username squatting protection<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Verge reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bluesky adds Trending topics to its arsenal<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nope.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Walrus reports:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bluesky Promised Writers Freedom. Now It\u2019s Feeling a Lot Like Work<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p><\/ul>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Welcome to this week’s \u201cDefending Democracy\u201d. It’s your source for curated news affecting democracy in the cyber arena with a focus on protecting democracy. That necessitates an opinionated Butlerian jihad against big tech as well as evangelizing for open-source and the Fediverse. Since big media’s journalism wing is flailing and failing in its core duty […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[69],"tags":[57,66,148,67,92,74,73,65,75,58,77,59,86,143,63,61,62],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1062"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1062"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1062\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1082,"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1062\/revisions\/1082"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/battalion.mobileatom.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\nFeatured Item<\/h2>\n
Building a Better Social Web<\/a><\/h3>\n
\n\nThe response to Russia\u2019s War Crimes and other douchebaggery<\/h2>\n
\n\nNeutral<\/h2>\n
\n\nThe Evil Empire Strikes Back<\/h2>\n
Pariah States<\/h3>\n
Big Media<\/h3>\n
Big Tech<\/h3>\n
Terror<\/h3>\n
\n\nCybersecurity\/Privacy<\/h2>\n
\n\nFediverse<\/h2>\n
Other Slightly Federated Social Media<\/h3>\n
\n\nCTAs (aka show us some free love)<\/h2>\n
\n